1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for correcting aberrations of the human eye. More particularly, the invention relates to method and system for statistically correlating objective measurements of aberrations associated with the human eye with subjective measurements of visual acuity to create a statistical model that can be used to predict vision correction prescriptions based at least in part on objectively measured aberrations of a patient's eye.
2. Description of the Related Art
The human eye, namely the cornea and lens, can exhibit a variety of optical aberrations that diminish the optical performance of the eye, resulting in blurred vision. The correction of blurred vision by lenses has typically been limited to correction of low order aberrations only, such as defocus and astigmatism. Traditionally, high order aberrations, e.g. those describable with Zernike polynomials of the third order or higher, could not be corrected using lenses. In addition, due to lens manufacturing limitations and expenses, defocus and astigmatism are typically only corrected in discrete steps, with any correction being made to the nearest one quarter (¼) diopter. Unfortunately, the resolution of one quarter (¼) diopter results in incomplete vision corrections and limits the performance of the patient's eye.
Recently, systems employing wavefront aberrometry, such as described in the co-pending patent applications incorporated herein, have enabled the high order aberrations in a patient's eyes to be measured objectively, accurately, and rapidly. When coupled with a custom aberrator that is adapted to correct some or all of the high order aberrations in a patient's eyes, such as also described in the co-pending patent applications incorporated herein, a patient's visual acuity may be improved to as well as 20/10.